Global Governance is a concept that refers to the sum of laws, norms, policies, and institutions that define and mediate trans-border relations between states, citizens, and organizations in the absence of a single, centralized world government. It is the collective management of common problems at the international level, addressing issues that transcend national borders like climate change, economic stability, and security. The idea, if not the term, dates back to the first globalization of the late 19th century, but it became particularly prominent after World War I and more so after World War II. The problem it sought to solve was the need for political cooperation among global actors to address shared challenges, especially preventing catastrophic wars, which led to the creation of the League of Nations in 1920.
Global Governance works through a complex network of mechanisms, including International Law (treaties and conventions like the Law of the Sea Treaty), Multilateralism, and Soft Law (non-binding instruments like declarations). Key actors include Nation-states, Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) such as the United Nations (UN), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as well as Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and multinational corporations. It connects to related concepts like International Regimes (e.g., the climate change regime centered on the Paris Agreement) and Multilevel Governance. Recently, the system has faced challenges, with the COVID-19 pandemic exposing vulnerabilities and a growing trend of countries prioritizing national interests over collective action, which has led to calls for reform to better reflect the shift in economic and political weight of developing countries. Despite these pressures, the core reliance on multilateral cooperation and international institutions remains the foundation of the system.